Device for dispensing liquid in the form of spray



March 16, 1943. c. L. GEBAUr-:R

Charles L. Gebaur Filed April 5, 1941 .WSJ L.

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING LIQUID IN THE lfORM OF A SPRY d Q 4 no ATTORNEYS.

.l' 'Patented is,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-ica i i i DEVICE Fon nrvslzsicuoumm 'rmt y* l 'i FORM F SPRAY Application april s, 1941', Asemi No. 387,055

'i` Claims.

` Y This invention relates to means for dispensing liquids, preferably in .the form of a spray, by

means of the vapor of a liquid having a low boiling poin-t, with which liquid 'the materials to be sprayed are admixed or 'in which thesaid materials are dissolved. Liquids so admixed or dissolved may be used, for example, in the treatment l of diseases or disorders, by inhalatiomby application -to wounds; and also as vlotions and deodorants.

The general object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and efllcient device for dispensing in a spray liquids of the character and for the purposes set forth.

I realize the foregoing object in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawing hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents a central vertical sectional view through a device including a receptacle having my novel dispensing and spraying means incorporated therewith; Fig. 2 a similar view, of a modification of the de- Vvice shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a detail in front elevation of a modification of the means wherebythe internal thread I3 provided within the neck I3 of a cap adapted to'constitute a closure element for the receptacle. The cap is provided with a nozzle'structure comprising an external upwardly tapered cap-extension element I4 having an upwardly convergent or frusto-conical bore I5 extending therethrough and a separate nozzle element I6, the lower portion of which is preferably cylindrical and is tted tightly within a central bore provided therefor in` a stopper I1.

. The upper portion I6a of the nozzle element rI6 is of frusta-conical shape whereby it is tted v snugly withinthe bore I5, with its upper end extending slightly beyond the top of the element I4.

The upper. end of the nozzle element I6 is provided witha capillary discharge orifice I6= having a diameter of approximately from .004 to .009 inch. In practice, the nozzle element I6 may be made of metal or of any other suitable material; lin fact, itl may be advantageously made of glass or any other frangible material in which case it can'. be employed .wlthout danger of breakage,

l(Cl. 299-89) nozzle element due to the fact that it is mounted within and shielded by the stopper and the nozzle element I4.

The top'of the cap is provided with a lateral' projection Il!a to which a leverl Iis pivoted by means of lugs I and a pivot bushing I9. The lever isprovided'at its upper end with a deformable sealing element 20 which is adapted to engage the delivery end of the nozzle element I6 and is normally held in engagement therewith by means of a spring having a coil 2| intermediate the ends thereof and having arms extending from said coil, one of which arms, 2|, engages the under surface ofthe lever I8 and the other of which, 2 Ib, has a projection tted within a notch I4b in the projection I4.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1-, 23 denotes a tube, the upper end of which extends into the stopper and is tted about the lower end of the nozzle element IE. 24 denotes a capillary feeding element, such as loosely woven wicking material, located and fitting loosely within the tube l23 and which extends upwardly within the I6 without tting therein so ltightly as to defeat its capillary action, the top of said element being in fairly close proximity to the capillary outlet of the nozzle. As shown, the tube 23 preferably extends to the bottom of the receptacle I0 and is provided with prongs 23, struck therefrom, for the purpose of holding the element 24 in its anchored position as well as for the purpose of supplying liquid and vapor to the said element through the openings 23, formed in making the said prongs, not only when the level of liquid in the receptacle is normally as high as or extends above one or more of the openings, but when the liquid is brought above one or more of the openings by inverting or tilting the receptacle. l

In Fig. 2,1 have shown a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 1, wherein the nozzle structure is formed entirely by and withinv the ycap extension element I4X. In this view, the

lower portion ISB of the bore of said element is cylindricaLwhile its upper portionis tapered, as shown at I5b, with a capillary discharge opening I5c at its upper end. A sealing washer 26 is interposed between the top of .the neck of the f 21 which may be conveniently formed by rolling a blank of perforated metal of suitable dimensions into tubular form and by providing the upper end of said tube with prongs 21 adapted to be bent downwardly on top of the washer, thereby to anchor the upper end of the tube in place. One or more prongs 2lb retain the element 24 in` its operative position.

In Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a modification of the tubular element 23 wherein, instead of employing a tube in cooperation with the element 24, I mount said element between substantially flat retaining members 25 and 25, said members preferably being formed from an integral piece of metal and extending upwardly from the bottom member 25b and having their upper ends in substantial engagement with opposite sides of the lower cylindrical portion of the nozzle I 6. The capillary element 24 is held in its proper elevated position as well as against lateral shifting by means of the prongs 25C, 25d struck respectively from the retaining members 25 and 2,58. Each of these retaining members has been given an ornamental appearance, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the members 25 and 258 serve merely to hold the loosely woven capillary wicking in place and have no enclosing function for the latter so that, except for being held against swaying and from dropping out of the nozzle, the said capillary element is, to all intents and purposes, freely accessible from all points below the nozzle to the action of the liquid and vapor in said receptacle.

In all of the embodiments of my invention, free access is provided, above the normal maximum level of the liquid in the receptacle I0, for the vapor from my volatile propellant liquid into the tubes 23 and 21 and between the supporting elements 25, 25it and into and through the wicking element, thereby insuring the delivery of the liquid from the receptacle in the form of a spray.

In all of the embodiments of my invention, I have found that when using, for example, ethyl chloride as the Volatile propellant liquid, which assumes a vaporous condition at ordinary room temperatures, or when the receptacle containing the same is subjected to the heat of the hand of the operator, I am able to deliver, in a spray, materials or substances dissolved in the same propellant liquid or admixed as liquids with the said propellant liquid, or suspended in a very finely divided condition in said propellant liquid.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, a receptacle for liquid and a closure therefor, said closure including a cap element secured to the top of said receptacle and comprising a nozzle structure including a nozzle passage extending as far as the upper end of the cap element and provided in its upper end with a capillary discharge opening, a capillary feeding element having its upper end mounted within the said nozzle passage and its lower end extending into the lower part of said receptacle thereby to contact liquid therewithin, and movable means normally closing the capillary nozzle opening and adapted to be operated for movement to uncover said opening, the portion of said capillary feeding element which is normally above said liquid being exposed to the free access of vapor under pressure generated from and/or by said liquid and providing for the free passage of vapor therethrough to the said discharge opening.

2. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, a receptacle for liquid and a closure therefor, said closure including a cap element secured to the top of said receptacle and comprising a nozzle structure including a nozzle passage extending as far as the upper end of the cap element and provided with a capillary discharge opening in the upper end thereof, a capillary feeding element having its upper end mounted within the said nozzle passage and its lower end extending into the lower part of said receptacle, means extending downwardly from said closure and secured `to said capillary feeding element for preventing swinging movement thereof and providing for access of liquid thereto and for free access of vapor under pressure thereto above and generated from and/or by said liquid, and movable means normally closing the capillary nozzle opening and adapted to be operated for movement to uncover said opening.

3. In the dispensing device set forth in claim 1, a tube extending downwardly from the said closure and substantially enclosing the capillary feeding element, the said turbe being provided with means for engaging the said feeding element thereby to retain the same within the tube and the nozzle passage and with means providing for 'the free access of liquid to said capillary feeding element and for free access of vapor under pressure thereto above and generated from and/or by said liquid.

4. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, a receptacle for liquid and a closure therefor, said closure including a cap element secured to the top of said receptacle and comprising a nozzle structure including an upwardly convergent passage in the cap element, a nozzle element providing a nozzle passage within said cap element and having an upwardly convergent end portion fitted within the former passage and projecting beyond the top of said closure and provided with a capillary discharge opening in the end thereof, a capillary feeding element having its upper end mounted within the said nozzle element and its lower 'end extending into the lower part of said receptacle thereby to contact liquid therewithin, and movable means normally closing the capillary discharge opening and adapted to be operated for movement to uncover said opening, the portion of said capillary feeding element which is normally above said liquid being exposed to the free access of vapor under pressure generated from and/or by said liquid and providing for the free passage of vapor therethrough to the said discharge opening.

5. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, a receptacle for liquid and a closure therefor, said closure including a stopper at the upper end of said receptacle and a cap element secured to the top of said receptacle and comprising a nozzle structure including a frusto-conical passage extending upwardly through said cap element, a nozzle element providing a nozzle passage within said cap element and having a frustoconical upper portion mounted within the frustoconical passage and extending thereabove and provided with a capillary discharge opening in the upper end thereof, the lower portion of the said nozzle element being mounted within the stopper, a capillary feeding element mounted in said nozzle element and extending into the lower part of said receptacle thereby to contact liquid therewithin, and movable means normally closing the capillary nozzle opening and adapted to be operated for movement to uncover said opening, the portion of said capillary feeding element which is normally above said liquid being exposed to the free access of vapor under pressure said nozzle and extending downwardly into the receptacle and engaging the capillary feeding element thereby to prevent swinging movements of the latter, the last mentioned means being pro- 7. In the` dispensing device recited in claim 4, a tube having its upper end surrounding the lower end of the nozzle within the stopper and substantially enclosing the capillary feeding element, the said tube being lprovlded'witli openings providing for the free access of liquid to said capillary feeding element and for the free access of vapor under pressure above and generatedfrom and/or by said liquid and with one or more projections exvided with means providing for the free access of 10 tending inwardly therefrom for engaging said liquid to said capillary feeding element and for feeding element thereby to retain the same withthe free access of liquid to said capillary feeding ing the tube and the nozzle element.

element and for the free access of vapor under pressure thereto above and generated from and/or CHARLES L. GEBAUER. mbysaidliqmdmwx 

